The Hypomeeting Götzis has been awarded the "Athletics for a Better World" Gold certification by World Athletics for the second consecutive year for its 2025 anniversary meet. This long-established multi-event meet is once again among the most sustainably organized events on the international athletics calendar. The volunteer organizing committee, together with a dedicated sustainability team of four additional volunteers, ensures that various measures from the standard's 55 action areas are implemented before, during, and after the event. For the past two years, Götzis has been among the meets that consistently align their operations with World Athletics' comprehensive criteria. With this renewed Gold certification for the sustainability standard, the international multi-event meet is implementing measures at the same level as Weltklasse Zürich and Athletissima in Lausanne.
The Hypomeeting Götzis received a total of 106 points for its 2025 anniversary meeting. To achieve Gold certification, at least 80% of the comprehensive criteria catalog (i.e., at least 96 points) must be met. The highest possible status, Platinum, would be awarded with 108 points or 90%. So far, the World Championships in Tokyo and the Oslo Bislett Games have achieved Platinum status for 2025.
The "Athletics for a Better World" standard is part of the sustainability strategy of World Athletics and encompasses all aspects of event organization – from procurement, energy and waste management to mobility, catering and accommodation, as well as topics such as diversity, inclusion, health and safety, and the involvement of partners, athletes and the local community. In this context, sustainability means far more than environmental protection or a low carbon footprint: the goal is a holistic, long-term effective and responsible approach to the organization of sporting events, which improves step by step and year after year.
“This renewed gold certification confirms the path we have chosen. We understand sustainability as a holistic task – from the organization and infrastructure to the social and community interaction in the stadium and the region. The fact that we have been implementing this standard since 2024 demonstrates our commitment to taking responsibility and developing the Hypomeeting in a future-oriented way,” says Organizing Committee President Alexandra Giesinger.
From 2026 onwards, all events that are part of a World Athletics series, such as the World Athletics Combined Events Tour, are required to apply this standard and undergo a corresponding evaluation. The Hypomeeting took this step early and aims to demonstrate how holistic, sustainable event management can be implemented year after year – even on a volunteer basis. For the 51st Hypomeeting on May 30th and 31st, 2026, the organizing committee has once again set itself the goal of achieving at least a Gold level in the "Athletics for a Better World" sustainability standard.
